Frontierland at Disneyland Paris

The entrance to Frontierland at Disneyland Paris looks and feels like a throwback to the Frontierland as it used to be at Disneyland in California, starting with the entrance to the land. You enter through the same style “entrance” to a frontier fort.

On the right, just before you enter Frontierland, sits a Native American Village – just outside the fort’s walls.

One thing feels familiar, the river. Now it’s not the “Rivers of America.” Rather, it’s the Western Rivers. Yes, there is a paddlewheeler that plies the river (sorry, I didn’t get photo in my one short day in the park.) but that’s where the similarities end. Because where it should be Tom Sawyer Island, it is, instead, Big Thunder!

That’s right, the majority of the attraction is on the island. But you don’t get to the ride via a raft. That’s because the station for the attraction is on the mainland.

The queue line for Big Thunder is similar to others in that it has a number of mining artifacts sprinkled throughout.

As you can see, the trains are pretty much like all the others, complete to the ties in the rails. You might be able to see at the back of the train that it is coming up out of a tunnel. That’s the return from the island, which makes for a much more dynamic finish to the ride than the one here or in Florida. Riders also get to the main part of the ride via a tunnel as well. But beyond that the ride dynamics on the island are pretty much the same as both parks here in America.

Here are some of the shops in Frontierland, right across from Big Thunder. The colors in France for Frontierland are, with one exception, much brighter and bold.

The shops in Frontierland pretty much contain the same type of merchandise as found at most Disney theme parks.

Phantom Manor is Paris Disneyland’s version of the Haunted Mansion. But unlike other parks, designers decided to make the house appear a lot darker and eerier, almost rundown. It’s okay, though I’m not sure I agree with their choice of using a cliche approach to a haunted house. That’s what makes Disneyland’s so interesting; the house is not dark and eerie and definitely not rundown looking from the outside.

The attraction cast members at Paris Disneyland were really into their role. Here this hostess always maintained an Edgar Allen Poe type of demeanor, and it worked. Others on the attraction were similar into their approach, though I didn’t really understand what they were saying in French. But the fact that they were all into it says plenty about the quality of Cast Members there. They were great!

This interesting building’s backstory is supposedly where the “bride” from the manor would host tea for visitors. Obviously she’s not there, but the tea set sits – waiting for her return from the hereafter. The bride character is a major part of the Phantom Manor story, though I think it’s overwrought in the current version and hard to follow.

Just like California’s Haunted Mansion, the queue line heads up to the side of the house before moving around front for entry into the attraction. Here you can see the deliberate approach to making the house exterior look rundown. Inside the attraction many things are the same to a point. There’s the stretching room then you board the omnimovers to go through the house then into the graveyard. However, there is a long scene set in a haunted western ghost town that is, well, strange. It’s definitely different and I guess it was added to ground the attraction in a western Frontierland.

It wouldn’t be Frontierland unless there was a shooting gallery, and this one seems to be pretty popular.

I did not have time, but word is that this steakhouse is pretty darned good. It is, appropriately, located in Frontierland and does require reservations. The prices are in line with a higher end steakhouse too, but I wish I had had the time to dine there. Oh well, next time.

Read about Discoveryland at Disneyland Paris at this link.

You can read and see photos of Main Street at Disneyland Paris at this link.